Starleaf: Dragon Rider
by isiskakashi
Summary: Saryu is a rare elven child born to a small village on the edge of a great forest. But when a great dragon ravages her village, she is determined to bring peace with them, and peace with her people. MORE CHAPTERS TO COME!


Chapter 1

Saryu was a light skinned elf maiden, thirteen years of age. She wore a long form fitting gold and purple robe and a red sash across her chest. She wandered aimlessly through the thick forest, speaking with the birds and the beasts as she went. Then she began to trek up a large hill. Atop the hill sat a round, flat rock and around the stone grew yellow and blue-throated flowers. Saryu sat cross-legged upon the rock and gazed at the landscape before her. The trees thinned out to a wide-open field where a wild herd of horses galloped quickly across the expanse of the land. This puzzled her. These horses were not running for the joy of the wind as she had often seen them do before; they were afraid.

A shadow swept over the field. Saryu looked up in astonishment to see a huge golden dragon fly under the sun. Its wings were at least five times its own length and its gem-like scales glittered in the light. Saryu's eyes filled with tears as she realized how amazing and rare this sight was. Then it roared a roar so powerful, the ground shook.

_Egg-breakers! Egg-thieves! Where are you? I will rip you throats out! I will KILL you! _An angry voice called.

Puzzled, Saryu looked for the source of the voice. Then her eyes widened. It was the dragon! It was nearing the horizon now, its cursing thoughts projecting over the land. Saryu got up and started running back to the village, excited to share her sightings. Each movement was fluid and quick as she dodged through the trees with ease and when she arrived she found the elves gathering in a clearing. They stood tall and graceful, all wearing blood-red and gold garments. When Saryu approached, all heads turned and smiles covered their faces.

"Saryu…"

"A dragon flew over the Fallmor Plains! I saw it!" Saryu exclaimed.

Shock wiped away their smiles. An elf male stuttered, "How is that possible?"

"She saw the golden dragon." Luani, the village mage, strode into the clearing. She wore a long, gold, black and red dress with plate armor shoulders and bracers. Her gold hair trailed to her waist and she carried a long blade in a scarlet sheath on her belt. "It appears to be flying in search of someone. It's bloodthirsty thoughts interrupted my spell casting."

More gasps escaped from those gathered. They murmured to each other hastily. Then, all of a sudden, everyone fell silent. They were listening for something. One began to slowly reach for the sword attached to his belt. Saryu listened closely and heard rustling clothes and the footfall of men in the trees behind her.

"Saryu run!"

A war cry emitted from the forest and human men began to pour into the clearing. Then the elves emitted their own cry and charged the men, swords drawn. The elves were quick. One drew her bow and fired the first shot straight through a man's chest. He toppled to the ground, dead.

At first, Saryu was too shocked to do anything. Then she drew her own dagger from her belt and ran behind the giant tree closest to her. She closed her eyes and tried to drown out the battle so near to her. Scared.

Then a pair of rough hands covered her mouth. Her eyes snapped open only to see a sneering male human. He grabbed her hand holding the dagger and pinned it to the tree.

"Shh, little elf. Don't you fuss now. You are valuable money. We can't have you damaged." He grinned like a jackal and pulled out his knife and put it to her neck.

Saryu's eyes filled with tears and she blinked them away. Then she kicked him. He grunted and loosened his grip, in pain. In an instant Saryu struggled free brought up her dagger and hesitantly drove the weapon into him. His eyes grew wide and he clutched the blade protruding from him and fell to the ground. Saryu turned away at the realization at what she had just done. It was not in the nature of an elf to be violent.

Saryu peeked around the edge of the huge tree and observed the scene before her eyes. The three eldest warriors in her village were battling fiercely with the humans, taking six of them down. Watashi, en elf warrior, was dealing with four men at once. She was being driven backwards to the woods and was cut out of view by a thick tree. The remaining elves sheathed their swords and dashed up into the trees. The five men were stunned at the elves retreat and began to cheer and search for treasures. Horror filled Saryu's eyes and she took a step back. _They_ won? Impossible. Her people would never just give up.

Then a tremendous, outraged roar filled the clearing. The men froze and looked to the skies.

The gold dragon roared again landed with an earthquake-like thud in the clearing, crushing the small homes and large trees. A strange rumble emitted from its throat; it opened its maw and a blaze of gold fire engulfed the men. They screamed in agony and writhed on the ground, cooking in their armor. Then the dragon whipped its head from side to side in search of any survivors.

Saryu gasped and turned as she felt a light hand rest on her shoulder. It was Luani. She motioned for Saryu to be silent and slowly drew her sword. The blade, bonded with spells, emitted a fire-like red aura.

Then she dashed out from behind the tree and brought her sword to the dragon but it knocked her down with one swing of its enormous, spiked, tail. Luani and the dragon became locked in a fierce battle of skill. Luani with her speed and agility and the golden dragon with its overpowering strength and size. Then the elf began to cry out, "Makutukar makutukar... isukama ruak!"

She raised her right hand towards the dragon and and explosion of green flames gushed from it onto the dragon. It roared and swallowed the fire down its throat. Luani took a step back in shock as the dragon, unharmed, raised its claws and slashed the sword out of her hands, cutting her across the chest.

Saryu screamed Luani's name as she ran out from behind her tree to where she was lying on the ground. Saryu kneeled beside her, completely oblivious to the dragon behind her, "Luani! Luani please stay with me!"

The loving elf's breath was ragged as blood flowed openly from the wound and she put her hand on Saryu's cheek, "Saryu... Saryu, I see a light... a beautiful light... I wish... I wish you could see it..." Her breathing slowed and her eyes closed.

"NO!" Saryu screamed, "Luani, don't leave me! Please! Please..." Saryu cried holding her hand.

Luani smiled as her last breath left her and a wisp of pure light flowed from her heart and into the sky, becoming a star.


End file.
